Knife



` May 11,1926. A l 1,584,165

R. E. BROWN KNIFE Filed June 1o. 1925 3mm/1430i awww:

Patented May 11, 1926.

UNITED STATES PA ROBERT n. BROWN, or OLE-AN, NEW YORK. i.

KNIFE.

Application filed 'June 1G, 1925. Serial No. 36,204.

p This invention relates to a knife of the type known as clasp knives, and one object of the invention is to provide a knife having al pivotally mounted blade which is spring actuated so that it may be caused to move from a closed position with its cutting edge disposed in a pocket of the knife handle to an extended position for use when a latch which serves to retain the blade in either a closed or extended position is moved to release the blade.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the knife that the actuating element of the latch will be disposed at one side thereof where it may be conveniently pressed upon with the thumb when the knife is held in approximately the position for use. By this arrangement of parts, the knife when closed may be held in the hand in the usual manner with the. thumb inpesition to engage the actuating element of the latch and pressure applied by the thumb so that the blade will be released and thrown outwardly and upwardly to an extended position for use. This also permits the knife to be easily closed as it is simply necessary to tilt it so that, when the latch is pressed to a releasing position, the blade will of its own weight drop downwardly and can then be easily moved into the closed position with one hand.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the knife that the latch may be almost entirely within the contines of the handle and not be liable to catch when placed in the pocket or removed for use.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure l is a view showing the improved knife in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional 'View through the knife with the blade in the closed position;

Fig. 3 is av longitudinal sectional view with the blade extended for use, and

Fig. l is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-t of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the knife is of the class known as clasp knives and includes a handle which is indicated in general by the numeral l and a blade 2. The handle l is provided with side walls 3 which are formed of heavy metal and connected adjacent their rear ends by rivets t which also serve to retain the leaf spring 5 in place betweenthe walls. Re-

ferring to F ig. 2, it will be seen that the rivets el extend through the thickened rear end portion 5 of the leaf spring and that the leaf spring extends forwardly at an outward incline with its free end terminating in the position shown in Fig. 3 so that, when the blade which is pivotally mounted between the forward end portions of the walls 3 by a rivet 6 is swung to the closed position shown in Fig. 2, the heel portion 7 of the blade will engage the free end of the leaf spring 5 and compress the spring to the position shown in F ig. 2. The heel portion 7 of the blade is provided with a shoulder extension 8 and a pin 9 is secured in the .shoulder extension 8 with its end portions extending from opposite side faces of the shoulder. r)The extended end portions of the shoulder are adapted to contactwith the knife handle, as shown in Fig. 3, and limit movement of the blade'in an opening direc'tion and also brace the blade when extended for use. rlhe knife is, therefore, of a compact construction and will be very strong and durable.

ln order to permit the blade to be secured ineither a closed or an extended position, there has been `provided a latch which is formed of resilient metal and includes a strip 10, one end portion of which is curved longitudinally and terminates in a hook 1l adapted to engage the butt or heel end of the spring 5, as shown in 2 and 3. The strip l0 extends between -the side walls of `the knife handle and is of suoli thickness that its outer face is substantially flush with the. edge faces of the handle'walls or plates 3 the back ofthe knife. The holsters l2 have their rear portions cut away to provide pockets 13. rllhese pockets 13 are in adance of the forward ends of the ornamental pieces Ll secured against the outer faces of the side walls or plates 3 of the knife handle and are adaptedto receive side arms l5 and 1G which extend from the forward end portion of the spring strip and are bent to extend into the pockets, as shown in Fig. 4. Recesses 17 are provided in the plates 3 so that the arms may be bent into the pockets. lt should be noted that since the pockets 13 and arms l5 and 16 do not extend the full width of the bolsters l2 the free end portions of the arms will be covered and, therefore, dirt will be prevented from readily working into the space between the arms and the outer faces of the plates 3. The arms may,

therefore, move freely andthe latch may be very easily actuated when it is desired to release the blade. A pin 18 extends inwardly from the arm 15 and yprojects through an opening 19in one of the plates 3 into position for engaging the heel of the blade 2 and entering the sockets 2O and 21 formedl in diametrically opposed rela-tion to the pivot pin or rivet 6.

Under normal conditions, the blade 2 is closed and will have its cutting edge Adisposed within the ylongitudinally extending pocket of the knife handle. When itis desired to use the knife, it is held in one hand with the end portion provided with the holsters 12 extending forwardly and the arm 16 in position to be easily pressed by the thumb. Pressure is then applied .to the arm 16 and this causes the substantially U- shaped forward end portion of the latch to be tilted transverselyof ythe handle. Then this takes place, the arm 15 moves away from 'the handle andthe pin 18 moves out of the opening or socket 21. rlhe blade is, therefore, released so that the spring 5 which Yhas been held under tension may 'act upon the heel of the knife blade and cause the knife blade to be swung outwardly to the extended position lfor use. Outwardv movement of the blade beyond theposition shown in Fig. 3 is prevented due to the fact that the end portions of the abutment pin 9 will contact with the handle. l/'Vhen in the extended position, lthe pin 18 will enter the socket 2O and the blade will be securely held and cannot accidentallyy move towards a closed position with consequent danger of the person using the knife becoming cut. When the knife is to be closed., it is simply necessary to tilt the hand so that the blade extends at an incline and then press upon the arm 16 so that the latch pin is moved ont of the socket 2O and the blade allowed to drop of its own weight. Thevheel will strike the free end portion of the leaf spring 5 so that its Vclosing movement is checked and, therefore, there is no danger of the knife entirely shutting while the tingers of the user are in the way. After the blade has dropped to a partially closed position, the frictional contact between the pin 18 and the side face of the heel will retain it in its position and it is simply necessary to press upon the back of the blade and force it to the completely closed position shown in Fig. 2 in which position it will be again secured by the latch pin.` There has, therefore, been provided a knife of the selfopening type which will bevery convenient to handle as it may be very readily operated with one hand.

Having thus described the "invention, I claim: i g Y 1. A knife comprising a handle provided with a longitudinally extending pocket, a

blade carriedV by said handle and movable from a closed position with its cuttingedge within the pocket to an extended position forfuse, and latch means adapted to releasably secure said blade in an adjusted position, said latch being carried by said handle and including an actuating element extending in overlapping relation to a side wall of the handle from the back of the handle towards the ffront thereof and movable towards and away from the side wall.

2. A knife comprising a handle provided i with a longitudinally extending pocket open along the front of the handle, a blade carried'by said handle and movable from a closed position with its cutting edge within the pocket to an extended position for use, latch means adapted to releasably secure said blade'in an adjusted position, said latch `being carried by csaid handle and including an actuating element extending in overlapping` relation to a side wall of the 'handle from the back of the handle towards the open front thereof and movable towards and away from the side wall, and a bladeengaging element movable through the other side wall of the handle into and out of position for locking engagement with the blade. n

3. A knife comprising a handle having a longitudinally extending pocket open along its front, a'bladecarried by said handle and movable 'from a closed position with its cutting edge within the pocket to an extended position for use, and latch means carried by the back of said vhandle and including an arm extending towards the front of the handle in overlying relation to one side wall thereof and having a tooth extending through said wall to engage the blade and lock the blade in a set position, said arm being movable. towards and away from said wail to move its tooth into a position for locking enoagement with the blade.

il. A knife comprising a handle provided wit-hv a.longitudinally extending pocket, a blade carried by said handle and movable from a closed position with its cutting edge within the pocket to an extended position for use, and latch means carried by the back of said handle and extending forwardly therefrom and movable transversely of the handle and including a tooth movable through a side wall of the handle into and out of position for locking engagement with the blad-e.

5. A knife comprising a handle provided with a longitudinally extending pocket opening through the yfront of the handle,a blade pivotally mounted atione end of said handle for 'swinging movement from a closed position with its cutting edge within Athe pocket to an extended position for use, a rspring inthe pocket of said handle adapted to be compressed when the blade is closed and serve to throw the blade outwardly to the extended position, and a latch carried by the back ot said handle and including side arms extending forwardly from the back of the handle in overlapping relation to side walls of the handle towards the front thereof and movable towards and away from the side walls of the handle, one arm being provided with a tooth extension projecting through the adjacent side wall of the handle to engage the blade and secure the blade in either a closed or an extended position and the other arm constituting an actuating lever normally extending in diverging relation to the adjacent side wall of the handle and when pressed towards the adjacent wall of the handle causing the other arm to be moved to draw its tooth extension out ot locking engagement with the blade.

6. A knife comprising a handle provided vith a longitudinally extending pocket opening through the front of the handle, a blade pivotally mounted at one end of said handle for swinging movement trom a closed position with its cutting edge within the pocket to an extended position tor use, a spring in thepocliet ot said handle having a heel portion secured between the side walls ot the handle and a tree portion extending longitudinally orf the back and adapted to he compressed when the blade is closed and serve to throw the blade outwardly to the extended position, and a latch including a resilient strip constituting the back of said handle and having one end portion. secured to the heel portion ot said spring, and side arms extending from the free end portion of said strip in overlapping relation to the side walls oi" the handle towards the front thereot' and movable towards and away from the handle, one arin being provided with a tooth extending through the adjacent side wall of the handle to engage said blade and secure the blade in an adjusted position and the other arm constituting an actuating lever tor imparting rocking movement to the latch transversely ot the handle and draw the pin out of position tor locking engagement with the blade to be compressed when the blade is closed and serve to throw the blade outwardly to the extended position, said blade having its pivoted end portion provid-ed ywith sockets in diametrically opposed relation t-o the point of pivotal mountin l for the blad-e, and a U-shaped latch strat dling said handle with its arms extending along the sides of the handle, said latch being movable transversely of the handle and having one 01"" its arms provided with a pin adapted to lit into the sockets ot said blade and secure the blade in an adjusted position.

S. A lniife comprising a. handle provided with a longitudinally extending pocket opening through the front of the handle, a blade pivotally mounted at one end ot' said hande for swinging movement from a closed position with its cutting edge within the pocket to an extended position for use, a spring in the pocket ot said handle adapted to be compressed when the blade is closed and serve to throw the blade outwardly to the extended position, said blade having its pivoted end portion provided with sockets in diametrically opposed relation to the point of pivotal mounting for the blade, a latch carried by said handle, said latch being` formed of resilient material and inolud-y ing a strip extending alo-ng the back ot said handle, side arms extending :trom said strip across the sides ot said handle and movable towards and away from the handle when actuated, and a pin carried by one arm and extending into the pocket through a side wall thereof and adapted to tit into the soclzets'ol' said blade to releasably retain the blade in closed and extended positions.

In testimony whereof l ailix my signature.

ROBERT E. BROWN. [Ls] 

